Pneumatic motor actuated railway car discharge doors



5, 1958 A. G. REBENOK ETAL 3,403,956

PNEUMATIC MOTOR ACTUATEID RAILWAY CAR DISCHARGE DOORS Filed Nov. 4, 19664 Sheets-Sheet l 5, 1968 A. G. REBENOK ETAL 3,408,956

PNEUMATIC MOTOR ACTUATED RAILWAY CAR DISCHARGE DOORS Filed Nov. 4, 19664 Sheets-Sheet 2 Nov. 5, 1968 A. G. REBENOK ETAL 3,408,956

PNEUMATIC MOTOR ACTUATED RAILWAY CAR DISCHARGE DOORS Filed Nov. 4, 19664 Sheets-Sheet 5 Nov. 5, 1968 A. e. REBENOK ETAL 3,403,956

PNEUMATIC MOTOR ACTUATED RAILWAY CAR DISCHARGE DOORS Filed NOV. 4, 19664 Sheets-Sheet 4.

United States Patent 3,408,956 PNEUMATIC MOTOR ACTUATED RAILWAY CARDISCHARGE DOORS Anatoly Georgievich Rebenok, Ul. Shirokaya 1, kv. 24;Valentin Nikolaevich Budenkov, Pionersky per. 9, kv. 2; JuryGrigorievich Mezentsev, Ul. Arsenicheva 74, kv. 40; Lazar PinkhusovichVainshtein, Prospekt Lenina 29, kv. 8a; Mikhail Ivanovich Durachenko,Ul. Lesopilnaya 2/28, kv. 32; and Ivan Timofeevich Kovdrya, Bratskayaul. 14, kv. 3, all of Dneprodzerzhinsk, Dnepropetrovskaya oblast,U.S.S.R.

Filed Nov. 4, 1966, Ser. No. 592,056 7 Claims. (Cl. 105240) ABSTRACT OFTHE DISCLOSURE A mechanism for opening and closing the covers of sidedischarge hatches of a railway car in which a linkage opens and closesthe covers in response to rotation of an actuator shaft as producedthrough a coupling constituted by a gear rigidly mounted on the shaftand having integral, spaced, rim portions With teeth engaged by gearteeth on spaced integral rim portions of a driven segment which ispivotably mounted on the frame of the car.

The present invention relates to self-discharge railway hopper carsadapted to carry bulk cargo and, more particularly, to a mechanism forclosing and opening the covers of side discharge hatches thereof.

Known in the art are mechanisms for closing and opening covers of sidedischarge batches of railway hopper cars for bulk cargo, whichmechanisms incorporate a longitudinally extending actuating shaftdisposed under the hopper and connected through a linkage to at leastone drive. Mounted on each end of said longitudinally extendingactuating shaft is a double-arm lever connected by means of links to therespective covers.

A disadvantage of the known mechanisms for closing and opening covers ofside discharge hatches is a limited (not more than 180) pivoting angleof the linkage and, consequently, a limited angle of rotation of thelongitudinal shaft, this leading to inadequate opening of the coversopposing a free outflow of the cargo being discharged by gravity, withthe direction of the discharge flow changed and the discharge timeincreased.

It is an object of the present invention to develop a mechanism forclosing and opening discharge hatches, which mechanism insures rapiddischarge of bulk cargo from the car by gravity by means of increasingthe angle of rotation of the longitudinal actuating shaft, and,consequently, of increasing the pivoting angle of the covers.Accordingly, the discharge time of hopper cars is reduced, as well asthe time during which the operating personnel have to remain in a dustyatmosphere.

The present invention comprises a mechanism for closing and openingcovers of side discharge hatches of railway hopper cars for bulk cargowherein a longitudinally extending actuating shaft disposed under thehopper is connected to at least one drive and to the covers via alinkage, according to the present invention, each drive, beingessentially a pneumatic or hydraulic cylinder, is made pivoting relativeto the car frame and connected to said longitudinally extendingactuating shaft through a toothed coupling comprising a double-rim gearsecured to said longitudinal shaft and a double-rim toothed segmentmounted to the car frame with a possibility of rotation under the actionof said driving cylinder. The rod of said pneumatic cylinder can bearticulated between the rims of said toothed segment.

The mechanism can be provided with an adjustable member mounted on thecar frame and adapted to limit ice the angle of rotation of saiddouble-rim toothed segment, due to which member, the covers may beretained in an open position with the drive disconnected.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will be madeapparent from the following detailed description of an embodimentthereof, with due reference being made to the accompanying drawings, inwhich:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevation view of a mechanism embodying the presentinvention;

FIGURE 2 diagrammatically shows the mechanism embodying the presentinvention;

FIGURE 3 is a perspective view of a toothed coupling of the mechanismembodying the present invention;

FIGURE 4 is a side elevation view of the toothed coupling of themechanism embodying the invention; and

FIGURE 5 is a side elevation view of the mechanism embodying the presentinvention, with the covers opened.

Referring to the drawings, the mechanism for closing and opening covers1, -1' (FIG. 1) of discharge hatches comprises a longitudinallyextending actuating shaft 2 disposed under a hopper 3, each end of shaft2 oarrying a double-arm lever 4, 4' (FIGS. 1, 2) connected by links 5, 5to covers 1, 1. Longitudinally extending shaft 2 is coupled with eachone of two pneumatic cylinders 6, 6' by means of a respective toothedcoupling comprising gears 7, 7' and corresponding toothed segments 8, 8.Gears 7, 7' are rigidly secured to actuating shaft 2, while toothedsegments 8, 8' are mounted on respective pivots 9 9' secured to a frame10 of the car. The toothed segments '8, 8' are respectively coupled withpneumatic cylinders 6, 6'. Both gears 7, 7' and toothed segments 8, 8are provided with two toothed rims each (FIG 3). A rod 11 of pneumaticcylinder 6 extends between two rims 13, 13 of segment 8 and is connectedtherewith by means of a pivot 12. The provision of pivot 12 precludeswarpage of rod 11, when segment 8 is rotated.

FIG. 4 shows a toothed coupling on an enlarged scale. The mechanism isprovided with an adjustable stop 14 mounted on frame '10 of the car,said stop 14 carrying removable plates 13 made of elastic material. Bymounting removable plates 13 of different thickness, the angle ofrotation of toothed segment 8 may be adjusted.

The mechanism operates in the following manner.

A signal is directed from a remote control panel (not shown in thedrawings) into spaces 16, 16 of pneumatic cylinders 6, 6' for the coversto be opened. Rod 11 of the pneumatic cylinder is moved out and rotatestoothed segment 8 to a position indicated in FIG. 5. When toothedsegment 8 rotates, rod 11 of cylinder 6 connected thereto pivots which,in turn, causes pivoting of the body of cylinder 6 about a pivot 17(FIG. 3) on which cylinder 6 is mounted. Such an arrangement providesfor the centering of pneumatic cylinder 6 in relation to toothed segment8, whereby rod bending or cylinder breakage at the moment of rotation ofthe toothed segment is prevented.

Double-rim gear 7 being in mesh with toothed segment 8 turns, thusproducing rotation of longitudinal actuating shaft 2 together withdouble arm levers 4, 4' mounted thereon. The latter turn covers 1, 1'about pivots 18, 18' via links 5, 5' (FIG. 1), thus opening dischargehatches 19, 19' (FIG. 5). The covers are opened so wide as to insurefree pouring out of the cargo.

In order that covers 1, 1' stay open, when the air pressure in spaces16, 16' of cylinders 6, 6' is released, the angle of rotation of toothedsegment 8 is so adjusted by means of adjustable stop 14 that the linkageconsisting of double-arm lever 4 and links 5 passes beyond its deadcenter, when covers 1, 1' are being opened. Then the linkage will notreturn into its initial position upon the disconnection of pneumaticcylinders 6, 6', and the covers will stay open.

To close covers 1, 1, compressed air is directed from the remote controlpanel into chambers 20, 20' of cylinders 6, 6, rods 11 move, returningtoothed segments 8, 8' into their initial positions. Gears 7, 7 engagedby segments 8, 8 rotate and turn double-arm levers 4, 4' via actuatingshaft 2, said levers closing covers 1, 1 via links 5,

The mechanism of the invention for closing and opening covers ofdischarge hatches used in hopper cars for transporting bulk cargo makesit possible to double the width of opening of the covers as compared tothe known designs, and also to retain the covers in open positionsubstantially parallel to the car bottom, which fact insuresunobstructed outflow of the cargo.

What we claim is:

1. A mechanism for closing and opening the covers of side dischargehatches of self-discharge railway hopper cars intended for carrying bulkcargo, said mechanism comprising a longitudinally extending actuatingshaft disposed under a hopper of the car; at least one drive means forrotating said longitudinally extending actuating shaft, said drive meansbeing pivotally mounted on the frame of the car; a linkage connectingsaid longitudinally extending actuating shaft and said covers of thedischarge hatches; a toothed coupling connecting said longitudinallyextending actuating shaft to said drive means for rotating said shaft,said toothed coupling comprising a gear rigidly mounted on saidactuating shaft and including two spaced integral rim portions with gearteeth thereon, and a segment pivotably mounted on said frame of the carand including two spaced integral rim portions with gear teeth thereonwhich are respectively in mesh with the gear teeth on the rim portionsof said gear which is mounted on the actuating shaft, said drive meansbeing pivotably coupled to said segment between the rim portionsthereof.

2. A mechanism as claimed in claim 1, comprising an adjustable stoplocated on said frame of the car to limit the rotation of said segment,whereby said covers of the discharge hatches are retained in their openposition when said drive means is disconnected from said shaft.

3. A mechanism as claimed in claim 1, wherein said drive means comprisesa pneumatic cylinder including a rod which is disposed between the rimportions of said segment and connected to said segment.

4. A mechanism as claimed in claim 3, comprising an adjustable stoplocated on said frame of the car to limit the rotation of said segment,whereby said covers of the discharge hatches are retained in their openposition when said drive means is disconnected from said shaft.

5. A mechanism as claimed in claim 4, wherein said toothed segment ispivotably mounted on the frame about an axis extending parallel to theaxis of rotation of said shaft.

6. A mechanism as claimed in claim 5 wherein said linkage comprises adouble arm lever connected to said shaft and links connecting saiddouble arm lever and said covers, said linkage having a dead centerposition between the open and closed position of the covers so that thecovers will remain open when the linkage passes the dead center positionin a cover opening operation.

7. A mechanism as claimed in claim 5, wherein said rod extendsperpendicularly to said actuating shaft and is connected to said segmentat a radially spaced location relative to the axis of pivotable mountingof the segment on the frame.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 802,532 10/ 1905 Stevens -265902,779 11/1908 Treadwell et a1 105-265 1,007,533 10/191-1 Clark 105-2651,151,312 8/1915 Weirner 105-265 2,893,327 7/1959 Lunde 105-240 ARTHURL. LA POINT, Primary Examiner.

H. BELTRAN, Assistant Examiner.

